Official Description

The MISC Starfarer is the galaxy’s standard fuel transporter. Starfarers are ubiquitous on both sides of the fueling process: their massive tanks allow for both the collection of space borne fuel from gas giants and extrasolar sources as well as the transport of active fuel from refinery stations to the primary market.[3] Though the stock model lacks refinery equipment, the Starfarer does have docking mechanisms allowing it to conduct in-flight refueling operations with most spacecraft classes.[7]

The most common Starfarer modification ships liquid foodstuffs in the same tanking system. A visually distinct long-haul bulk goods version mated to an alternate cargo chassis also exists, although it has proven far less popular than the more rugged Freelancer lineup.

The developers have hinted that it might be able to carry small ships in its hold.[8]

Where the Freelancer was designed to appeal to a wide variety of small scale roles, the Starfarer is a niche spacecraft through and through. As such, it has become the galaxy’s standard fuel transport. Seeking to expand their private spacecraft lineup, a MISC analysis board conducted an 18-month survey of space travel which resulted in a 15,000-page study on ship roles and the current shortcomings faced by space pilots. The end result: a decision to focus development efforts on a dual-role fueling craft, capable of both collecting spaceborne fuel and refueling other spacecraft in-flight. Before the first Starfarer launch, both of these roles were performed by wildly different spacecraft, none of which were intent-designed. Refueling was conducted by bulk transports equipped with massive aftermarket tanks and the process itself had become notoriously dangerous. No ship is more vulnerable than when it is engaging in a refueling operation. (A rule of thumb for pirates states that a ship caught refueling could be captured intact, as no captain would ever risk a firefight breaking out.)

Starfarers carry massive internal fuel tanks that are welded directly to the ship’s core superstructure, making them significantly safer than a modified transport. A system of external probes and dual-pressure access nozzles allows these tanks to be accessed at any time, meaning that a Starfarer can scoop hydrogen from a gas giant as easily as it can offload fuel to a nearby ship. Starfarers can even be upgraded to carry basic refining mechanisms, allowing them to process sufficiently pure fuel themselves without need for a refinery visit. Another common Starfarer upgrade involves modifying the hydrogen tanking system to carry liquid foodstuff. Yet another MISC-designed upgrade package allows for the replacement of the tanking machinery entirely with an alternate cargo chassis that supports bulk goods transport. This has proven fairly unpopular, with bulk shippers preferring a standard hull or a Freelancer.[9]